INSTANT POT BRANDS CHEF OF THE YEAR CHALLENGE OFFICIAL RULES
No purchase or payment of any kind by a Participant is necessary to enter or win. A purchase will not increase your chance of winning.
Eligibility. This Challenge is open only to legal U.S. (50 States and the District of Columbia) residents, age eighteen (18) years or older at the time of entry with a valid Social Security Number. Employees, officers, directors, representatives and agents of Instant Pot Brands, respective affiliates, related entities and subsidiaries, promotional sponsors, prize providers, advertising agencies and the immediate family members and household members of all such employees, officers, directors, representatives and agents are not eligible to participate. The term “immediate family members” includes spouses, parents/step-parents, siblings/step-siblings and children/step-children. The term “household members” refers to people who share the same residence at least three (3) months out of the year. Participation by a Participant constitutes their full and unconditional agreement to these Rules and to the final outcome of the Challenge. Winning a Prize (as defined below) is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein. Instant Pot Brands reserves the right to verify the eligibility of each Participant.
Sponsor. This Challenge is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook. Instagram, TikTok, and/or Facebook are hereby completely released of all liability by each Participant in this Challenge. Any questions, comments or complaints regarding this Challenge must be directed to Instant Pot Brands, and not Instagram, TikTok, and/or Facebook.
Challenge Period. The Challenge will consist of four monthly contests from April through July 2025, each of which will be held in collaboration with a different brand partner, followed by the selection of a Grand Prize Winner. Each contest will begin at the time of Instant Pot Brands’ Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook video announcement and will run through 11:59 p.m. CST on the 25th day of the relevant month, i.e., April 25, 2025, May 25, 2025, June 25, 2025, and July 25, 2025 (the “Challenge Period”). As explained further below, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook users will be permitted to “vote” for the Grand Prize Winner after the conclusion of the Challenge Period.
How to Enter. Participants should visit Instant Pot Brands’ social media channels during the Challenge Period and follow Instant Pot Brands’ instructions on how to enter. On Instagram and TikTok, Instant Pot Brands’ account @instantpotofficial will post the announcement. On Facebook, Instant Pot Brands will post the announcement on the Instant Pot Community page. To be eligible, all interactions with Instant Pot Brands and its brand partners in connection with the Challenge (e.g., posts, comments, stories, etc.) must be accompanied by the hashtag #IPChefOfTheYear and disclose that the Participant received entry in exchange for the interaction with Instant Pot Brands and its brand partners. All entries must be completed by 11:59 p.m. on the 25th day of the month from the original social media post to be eligible to win a Prize. No mail-in, email, or website submissions will be accepted. Participants are encouraged to make multiple submissions, and additional entries will earn bonus points in the judging process. Please see Instantpot.com/pages/chef-of-the-year for additional criteria for entry.
Monthly Winner Selection. After each monthly contest period, Instant Pot Brands will judge the entries and will announce the month’s winner via its social media channels, @instantpotofficial on Instagram and TikTok and the Instant Pot Community page on Facebook. Within sixty (60) days of the end of each challenge period, the winner of each of the four (4) monthly contest periods may be awarded the Prize for that period, subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with the terms of these Rules. Instant Pot Brands reserves the right to request additional details before selecting a winner or featuring a submission. In selecting a winner for each contest period, points will be awarded based on number of submissions the Participant has made throughout the Challenge Period as well as quality of recipes submitted (creativity, presentation, and replicability) and/or based on the criteria outlined at Instantpot.com/pages/chef-of-the-year for that monthly contest period.
Grand Prize Winner Selection. Within sixty (60) days of the end of the Challenge Period, Instant Pot Brands will select five finalists from all entries across the Challenge Period. Instant Pot Brands will post the six finalists via its social media channels, @instantpotofficial on Instagram and TikTok and the Instant Pot Community page on Facebook. Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook users will then be permitted to “vote” for their favorite finalist by “liking” Instant Pot Brands’ social media posts within twenty-four (24) hours of their posting. The Participant with the most votes across the three social media platforms within the twenty-four (24) hour period will be the Grand Prize winner. If two Participants receive the same number of votes, Instant Pot Brands will select the Grand Prize Winner. The Participant then may be awarded the Grand Prize, subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with the terms of these Rules.
Verification of Potential Winners. THE ELIGIBILITY OF ALL POTENTIAL CHALLENGE WINNERS IS SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION BY INSTANT POT BRANDS WHOSE DECISIONS ARE FINAL AND BINDING IN ALL MATTERS RELATED TO THE CHALLENGE. The winning Participant must continue to comply with all terms and conditions of these Rules and the awarding of the Prizes is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. Instant Pot Brands’ decisions as to the administration and operation of the Challenge and the selection of the winners are final and binding in all matters related to the Challenge. Failure to respond to Instant Pot Brands’ notification within fifteen (15) days will result in disqualification and forfeiture of the Prize. In addition, the winning Participants will be required to sign and return to Instant Pot Brands an affidavit of eligibility and a liability/publicity release (except where prohibited) in order to claim his/her Prize, if applicable. If a winning Participant cannot be contacted, fails to sign and return the affidavit of eligibility and/or the liability/publicity release within the required time period or if the Prize notification is returned as undeliverable, the winning Participant forfeits the Prize. In the event that a winning Participant is disqualified for any reason, Instant Pot Brands may award the Prize to an alternate Participant by selecting an alternate from among all remaining eligible Participants.
Prizes. Please refer to the Instant Pot Brands’ Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook posting via @instantpotofficial on Instagram and TikTok and via the Instant Pot Community page on Facebook for the applicable Prizes of the Challenge. Odds of winning the Prizes will depend on a number of factors including the number of eligible Participants that have participated in the Challenge during the Challenge Period. There is no substitution, transfer, or cash equivalent for any of the Prizes, except that Instant Pot Brands may, at its sole discretion and to the extent permitted by law, substitute Prizes of comparable value. The Prizes are expressly limited to the item(s) described above and do not include taxes, gratuities or any other expenses. Other restrictions may apply.
Entry Conditions and Release. Participants of the Challenge agree to: (a) comply with and be bound by these Rules and the decisions of Instant Pot Brands, which are binding and final in all matters relating to this Challenge; (b) release and hold harmless Instant Pot Brands and its related and affiliated companies, participating sponsors, the Prize suppliers and any other organizations responsible for sponsoring, fulfilling, administering, advertising or promoting the Challenge, and each of their respective past and present officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liability, including but not limited to negligence and damages of any kind to persons and property, including but not limited to invasion of privacy (under appropriation, intrusion, public disclosure of private facts, false light in the public eye or other legal theory), defamation, slander, libel, violation of right of publicity, infringement of Trademark, Copyright or other Intellectual Property rights, property damage, or death or personal injury arising out of or relating to a Participant’s entry, creation of an entry or submission of an entry, participation in the Challenge, acceptance or use or misuse of Prize (including any travel or activity related thereto) and/or the broadcast, exploitation or use of entry; and (c) indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Released Parties from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liabilities (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or relating to a Participant’s participation in the Challenge and/or a Participant’s acceptance, use, non-use or misuse of the Prize.
Publicity. Except where prohibited, participation in the Challenge constitutes the Participants’ consent to use by Instant Pot Brands of the Participants’ name, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions and/or biographical information (including hometown and state) for promotional purposes in any media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration. Participant will ensure that any content posted tagging Instant Pot Brands in participation with the contest will ensure the content is sharable. Participant acknowledges that Instant Pot Brands reserve the right to use any contest submissions on its digital platforms, including but limited to, global social, email, and Instant Connect™ app.
Taxes. All State, Local, Federal and/or other taxes, duties, tariffs, title fees, licensing fees, or other fees for Prizes awarded become the sole responsibility of the winners. All those who win a Prize or Prizes valued at $600.00 or more in any given year will be issued an IRS Form 1099 to report their winnings.
General Conditions. Instant Pot Brands reserves the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Challenge, or any part of it, if any fraud, technical failures or any other factor beyond Instant Pot Brands’ reasonable control impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Challenge, as determined by Instant Pot Brands in its sole discretion. Instant Pot Brands reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Challenge or to be acting in violation of these Rules. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Challenge may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and should such an attempt be made, Instant Pot Brands reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Instant Pot Brands’ failure to enforce any term of these Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.
Limitations of Liability. The Released Parties are not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by Instant Pot Brands, Participants, printing errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Challenge; (2) technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (3) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Challenge; (4) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Challenge or the processing of entries; or (5) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from Participant’s participation in the Challenge or receipt or use, non-use or misuse of any Prize. No more than the stated number of Prizes will be awarded. In event that a production, technical, programming or other error causes more than the stated number of Prizes as set forth in these Rules to be claimed, Instant Pot Brands reserves the right to award only the stated number of Prizes by a random drawing among all legitimate, unawarded, eligible Prize claims.
Disputes. Participant agrees that: (i) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Challenge, or any Prizes awarded, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action; (ii) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Challenge, or any Prizes awarded, shall be resolved exclusively by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois or the appropriate state court located in DuPage County, Illinois; (iii) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with participating in this Challenge, but in no event attorneys’ fees; and (iv) under no circumstances will Participant be permitted to obtain awards for, and Participant hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Rules, or the rights and obligations of Participant and Instant Pot Brands in connection with the Challenge, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Illinois, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules, which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the state of Illinois.
Participant’s Personal Information. Information collected from Participants is subject to Instant Pot Brands’ Privacy Policy, which is available on the Instant Pot Brands’ website under the “Privacy Policy” link. All information gathered during the course of entry, as well as all information contained therein, shall become the sole property of Instant Pot Brands to be used, disposed of or destroyed in its sole discretion. Instant Pot Brands is not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information entered by website users, and assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to Instant Pot Brands’ website.
Challenge Results. A list of winning Participants may be obtained within thirty (30) days after the Grand Prize Winner is selected by sending a self-addressed and stamped envelope to: Instant Pot Brands at 8725 Higgins Road, Suite 725 Chicago, IL 60631
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